The Pillars of Edibility Explained

You may have seen something that looks like this on some of our food related posts.

Whenever foods are rated, taste is often the only factor of consideration. We here at Forgettable Thoughts disagree — whether it is homemade or ordered at a restaurant, there’s much more to the food experience than just the taste.

… Is there any reason why you can’t pick all three?

We have found five categories that all foods should be graded upon. We use a scale of 1 to 5 for each of these categories. While they apply to everyone, how much one weights each category is entirely up to them and their personal lifestyle.

It’s often difficult, if not impossible, to have the best of everything.

We’re never going to stop searching for the perfect meal. But that’s not what this system is about. It’s about having all ratings working in unison and that any shortcomings are welcomed and worthwhile. If one pillar is weak, it may be forgivable. But sacrifice any more, and the structure will begin to crumble.

The Pillars

TASTE: Does this taste good?

(1 = No. 5 = Yes.)

The good ol’ classic. Sure, everyone has different tastes, but something we can all agree on is that Tasty Food > Not Tasty Food. In this sense, it is the most universal pillar out of the five.

EASINESS: Do I have the necessary capabilities to accomplish this?

(1 = Are you Gordon Ramsay? 5 = Easier than boiling water)

Some things in life are easier than others. We get that. There’s nothing wrong with having to work hard on a recipe or to have to go well out of your way to go to a restaurant.

It’s worth remembering that we were all beginners once upon a time. I remember when my diet consisted mostly of canned tuna and Soylent. If you’re new to cooking, great! We support you and hope you can find challenging, yet rewarding recipes here. You may find the Easiness scores useful as a means of gauging which recipes are right for you.

AFFORDABILITY: Do I have to spend a lot of money on this?

Food for Forgettable Thoughts

(1 = Take out another mortgage, 5 = You somehow made money by eating it)

Good Food ≠ Expensive Food. It’s amazing what you can do with a few vegetables and rice. There is no reason to break the bank in order to eat. It’s literally keeping you alive. It’s important to know that a cheap meal does not imply sacrificing the other pillars in any way.

SPEED: Do I have to spend a lot of time on this?

(1 = An eternity and a half, 5 = It’s already done)

Forgettable Thoughts is written by two people with full time jobs. We’re busy. And so are you. It’s unreasonable to spend 6 hours a day cooking, eating and then cleaning. Efficiency is key for us. When you see a post that has a low Speed score, we probably planned our entire week around it.

NUTRITION: Is this a healthy meal for me to eat?

(1 = It would be healthier to drown in lard, 5 = Slow down there, Popeye)

So healthy. Many healths.

This pillar will undoubtedly be more relevant to some lifestyles than others. If it’s not important to you, then take it with a grain of salt. If it is important to you, take it with a grain of brown rice and a chicken breast.

Do you have a category you like to rate your food upon? Let us know in the comments!